Woman’s outrage after being charged $675 for insulin prescription

A woman with diabetes who had to pay $675 for her last medical prescription has spoken Newsweek that she fears the day when she can no longer afford the insulin she depends on to survive.

Living with type 1 diabetes for the rest of her life is a frightening prospect for Allie Goecke-Butler, 27, who was diagnosed in 2021. She fears not only the physical or emotional toll of the condition, but also the financial consequences. burden. She spends $688 per month on health insurance, and then has to pay for additional items needed to manage it, which totals $922 per month.

Goecke-Butler of Temecula, California, told us Newsweek that she was “panicked and overwhelmed” when she found out her last three-month prescription would cost $675. She started shaking and contacted her insurance company, Kaiser International Healthgroup, who told her she was responsible for the costs.

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Newsweek contacted Kaiser International Healthgroup, which declined to comment.

Goecke-Butler said, “Kaiser does not cover prescriptions from third-party pharmacies, so I knew I would have to pay. I drove to the pharmacy and was already worried because I thought it would be $225, and that was already out of my price range, since I spent $300 on my Dexcom (glucose monitor) the day before.

“All the breath left my body when I saw $675 on the Kaiser pharmacy screen. I thought it was a mistake, so I had them scan it again. I asked why it was so expensive, and the pharmacy technician said my insurance only covered part of it. I felt my body starting to shake and a heavy weight on my chest making it hard for me to breathe.

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She ended up charging her credit card for the $675 because going home without her insulin supply “wasn’t even a choice.”

Goecke-Butler and her husband recently have changed their health insurance, without realizing that their previous policy was Covered California. This is a statewide policy that allows eligible individuals to afford private health insurance at a federally subsidized rate. When Goecke-Butler switched to a higher-level Kaiser plan, she was unaware that she no longer qualified for Covered California and that her deductible was also higher.

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She continued, “Under the employer-provided Covered California plan, there are no deductibles for medications. So the flat cost for my Omnipod was $225 for three months. Under the new plan, we must meet a $450 deductible , but generic drugs and devices don’t count towards this. So the $300 I spent every three months on my Dexcom never counted.

“When I picked up my Omnipod, I had to pay the $450 deductible, but also pay the additional $225 for three months’ supply of my Omnipods, bringing the total to $675.”

The rising cost of insulin

According to the American Diabetes Association That was 38.4 million Americans alive with diabetes in 2021, and of those people, 2 million had type 1 diabetes.

The cost of living with diabetes is no secret, as health care costs for people with diabetes are 2.6 times higher than for people without diabetes. A 2023 report from the American Diabetes Association found that the cost of insulin and other medications to control blood glucose increased 26 percent between 2017 and 2022.

The total annual cost of diabetes in 2022 was $412.9 billion, meaning that people diagnosed with diabetes were responsible for one in four dollars spent on healthcare in the US.

When Goecke-Butler thinks about her future, she can’t help but feel defeated and dejected Newsweek that she doesn’t know if it will ever get easier. She doesn’t choose to develop diabetes, and yet her insulin becomes a luxury she can no longer afford.

“I’m scared because staying alive is becoming more and more expensive,” she continued. “I want a future where I can afford to have children and live a comfortable life. My husband and I have done everything right. We have good jobs, bought a house, put money aside, watch our expenses , and yet we still struggle to afford health care.

“I worry about not being able to pay my mortgage or having a child who is diabetic because I never want them to cry because they can’t afford the medications they need to survive.”

The reaction on social media

Goecke-Butler often documents her experiences on social media (@loveal_co on TikTok) to show realities of living with diabetes. After learning her prescription would cost $675, she decided posted a video of herself crying outside the pharmacy, saying she doesn’t know how she can afford to live like this.

The video quickly gained attention and, at the time of writing, had over 821,700 views and over 38,400 likes on TikTok. She is amazed at the outpouring of support she has received online.

“Nothing will change unless we get angry and speak out,” Goecke-Butler said. “I want others to know that this is not just a reality for me, but for millions of others. We need to start caring for each other and fighting for future generations so they never have to choose between paying for healthcare or food. “

The viral TikTok video has received more than 9,500 comments to date, with many praising Goecke-Butler for sharing this reality.

One comment read: “This is why we need better, more affordable healthcare.”

Another person replied: “This is so sad. I’m so sorry.”

While another TikToker added: “That’s tragic, I’m so sorry this happened to you.”

IIs there a health problem you are concerned about? Let us know at [email protected]. We can ask experts for advice and your story can be posted on the site Newsweek.

Update 01/24/11, 4:39 PM ET: This article has been updated with additional information.